Dehumidifier



May 2o, 194,7.

1 R. HINGER Filed sept. 18, 1944 DEHUMIDIFIER 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

THEODORE R.HINGER ATIORNEYS Mayzo, 1947.

T. R. HINGR DEHUMIDIFIER FiledSept. 18, 1944 2 Sheets-streef 2 `INVENTOR.

THEoooRE RHINGER ATTORNEYS Patented May 20, 1947 UNIT El) STAT E S PATENT O F F lC E DEHUMIDIFIER Theodore R. Hinger, Farmington, Mich.

Application September 18, 1944, Serial'No. 554,704

(Cl. 18S-4.3)

2 Claims. 1v The invention relates to dehumidifying apparatus`V of that type inl which the air to be dehumidified is brought in contact with deliquescent material.

It is the object of the invention to obtain al simple construction of apparatus which is portable so that it may be placed in various positions and which is highly eicient in its operation. To this end the invention consists in the construction asA hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical central section through my improved apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof; and

Fig. 3 is a view similar to a portion of Fig. 1 showing a modified construction.

As is well understood, certain deliquescent materials such, for instance, as calcium chloride crystals, will dehumidify air brought in contact therewith. It is, however, diicult to obtain a construction of apparatus which is both efficient in its dehumidifying action and economical in the use of the dehumidifying material. One reason for this is thatI the moisture extracted from the air will disintegrate the separate crystals of the material partially dissolving the same and causing them to weld together sealing the air spaces therebetween. Furthermore, the dissolved portion will carry in suspension smaller crystals which escape with the waste and without performing any dehumidifying action. Also, the

escaping liquid will not have absorbed the maxi` mum amount of moisture of which it is capable.

In view of the conditions just described, I have designed a form of apparatus in which all of the solid dehumidifying material is utilized for the absorption of moisture from the air and in which the resulting liquid is further utilized for a dehumidifying action before finally passing to the waste.

Referring to the specific construction illustrated in Figs. l and 2, A isa cylindrical casing having in the bottom portion thereof a receptacle or tray B for receiving the waste. Above this tray is a horizontal partition C and spaced above the latter, a second horizontal member D. The latter has a central aperture formed therein from which a tube E extends upward. Surrounding this tube E is a circular series of foraminous tubes F, each of which passes through an aper.

ture in the member D and extends down to the partition C. G is a tray secured to the upper ends of the tubes F but below the upper end of the Central tube E. H are tubes "of Smaller diameter than the tubes E extending centrally 2 downward therethrough to a point at or slightly below the horizontal' member D, while at their upper ends they extend above the tray G. I is a fan located in the: tube E near its upper end and driven by an electric motor J. K is an inert material such as colte, spun glass or small balls or granules, which permits the passage of air therethrough and which has a relatively large amount of exposed surface. This material is placed in each of the tubes F resting upon the partition C' and extending upward to the height of the horizontal member D. The partition C is also. perforated in the portions thereof the tubes F.

With the construction as thus far described, the deliduescent material such as, calcium chloride crystals, is placed in the tray G and will pass downwardl therefrom to ll each of the tubes F above the portions thereof containing the material K. When the fan I is in operation, air will be drawn upward through the tube E from the space between the partition C and horizontal member D, while atmospheric pressure will cause air to pass downward through the tubes H, as well as Vinward through the ioraminous tubes F and downward through the material K. The air passing inward through the tubes F will rst contact with the crystals of the deliquescent material and as these are disintegrated by the absorption of moisture, the resulting fluid will pass downward into the material K. Here it will cover the large exposed surface of such material, while any small crystals carried in suspension will also occupy the interstices of the material K. However, the air which passes downward through the tubes H comes in direct contact with both the liquid and iine crystals in the interstices of the material K and is dehumidied thereby. This has the effect of dissolving all of the previous undissolved crystals and of also diluting the solution so that by the time the latter reaches the perforated partition C it will have absorbed the maximum amount of moisture of which it is capable. The diluted solution will then pass through the perforations into the tray B. In addition to the air passing through the tubes H, it may be desirable to supply air through small apertures L in the member D which surround the tubes F. This air will also pass through the ma terial K to be dehumidied thereby.

With the modified construction shown in Fig. 3 the foraminous tubes F terminate at the horizontal member D and all of the space between this member and the partition C is lled with the material K. It is obvious that various other beneath modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A dehumidifying apparatus comprising a casing, a removable tray in the bottom portion thereof, a horizontal partition within said casing above said tray, a series of foraminous tubes extending upward from said casing surrounding and communicating with apertures therein being open at their upper ends, tubes centrally Within said foraminous tube extending downward therein to said casing and upward above the upper ends of said foraminous tubes, a tray connected to and communicating with the upper ends of said foraminous tubes for receiving deliquescent material and feeding the same downward into the annular spaces between said inner tubes and said foraminous tubes, porous material supported on said horizontal partition within said casing beneath the deliquescent material within said foraminous tubes for supporting the same and receiving the drippings therefrom, and means for withdrawing air from said casing whereby air will be fed downward through said inner tubes and through the deliquescent material in said ioraminous tubes to pass through the said porous material and to be further dehumidied by the drippings therein, the moisture thus removed diluting said drippings before the passing of the same into the lower tray.

2. A dehumidiiying apparatus comprising a casing, a removable tray in the lower portion of said casing, a horizontal partition in said casing above said tray, a central tube extending upward from said casing, a series of foraminous tubes surrounding said central tube extending upward from said casing surrounding and communicating with apertures therein, a smaller tube centrally within each foraminous tube extending downward therein to said casing and upward above the upper end of said foraminous tube, a tray at and communicating with the upper ends of said foraminous tubes for receiving deliquescent material and feeding the same downward in the annular spaces between said inner tubes and surrounding foraminous tubes, porous material supported on said horizontal partition within said casing beneath the deliquescent material within said foraminous tubes to support the deliquescent material and receive drippings therefrom, and a fan within said central tube for withdrawing air from said casing whereby air will be fed downward through the deliquescent material within said foraminous tubes and also through said in.. ner tubes passing through said porous material to be further dehumidied by the drippings therein, the moisture absorbed by said drippings diluting the same before passing into the lower tray.

THEODORE R. HINGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,322,469 Robson June 22, 1943 1,949,205 Herring et al. Feb. 27, 1934 2,214,737 Dauphinee Sept. 17, 1940 1,772,089 Smith Aug. 5, 1930 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 733,905 France Oct. 13, 1932 

